


Change In Heart

by madmeridian



Category: Death Note & Related Fandoms, Death Note (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Drunken Confessions, Enemies to Lovers, M/M, Pillow & Blanket Forts, coronavirus get mentioned within like the first paragraph so, quarantine fic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:09:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,308
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27401755
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madmeridian/pseuds/madmeridian
Summary: Near offers his secondary building for Mello and Matt to use when the pandemic comes, knowing that he can’t possibly be stuck in the same building as Mello for a long time...They get stuck together anyway
Relationships: Mello | Mihael Keehl/Near | Nate River
Comments: 10
Kudos: 58





	Change In Heart

**Author's Note:**

> From a lovely anon on tumblr: “ Do you think you could write a enemies to lovers story where Mello and Near are accidentally stuck in quarantine together!?”
> 
> I hope I did you proud, anon. This is the longest oneshot I’ve written so far bc I loved this prompt so much

Near watched as the headlines scrolled across the screens, repeated a hundred times over. New York was locking down due to the rapidly increasing cases of coronavirus in the state. Near regretted coming here for a case because now he and his team would be stuck here for some time. 

“Near,” Halle said from behind him. “I know you haven’t spoken to them in a while…” 

“Yes, you may invite them to stay for now,” Near calmly responded, knowing exactly what she was asking him. It was bound to happen. “It would be much safer. Especially since Matt is a party that is at risk.”

“I’ll contact them.” He heard as her heels clicked away, out of the room. Near silently went back to stacking his little dice towers. He liked the way each one fit against one another, white against white against black dots against black dots. It’s calming. 

“I don’t know if it’s wise to bring them here,” Rester said slowly. 

“Don’t worry,” Near reassured. “They won’t be staying in the same building. They’ll just be at a secondary base of ours.” 

“Good,” he heard Gevanni mutter under his breath. Near huffed and wrapped a long strand of hair around his finger. He would never offer them to stay here. Mello would probably strangle him within the first two hours. 

Even though it’d been years since the Kira case, since everything ended, Mello hadn’t let up on this ridiculous rivalry. They were adults now, too old for this sort of child’s fantasies of rivals and sidekicks and heroes, but Mello clung on to it. 

Near was content to let him live his fantasies. As long as he did it far away from Near. 

Halle had asked just a few days ago if they could use the secondary headquarters in the event the cases in New York increased. Near had agreed. There was no harm in letting them borrow the space. In fact, the two of them might be more productive, what with the quality equipment there. 

Halle walked back into the room, setting her phone down. He always did rather dislike the sound of her heels, so repetitive and harsh. Another dice on his tower. 

“They agreed to it.” 

“Good,” Near said. “It might do us well to keep an eye on them, too.” 

Halle didn’t say anything, though Near knew she disapproved. It’d been years, but she still harbored the same irritation she’d always had with their so-called “rivalry.” She disliked Mello’s attitude towards Near, but she also disliked Near’s lack of effort to show Mello how he actually liked him. 

But, that is how it had always been. And how it always would be. 

“You will oversee the preparations for them?” 

“Yes, Near.” 

“I have a feeling our workload will decrease over the coming days,” Near predicted. None of his employees responded, only nodding along and then going back to work. 

And, as he predicted, their workload did decrease quite a bit. The crime rate was going to go down, but Near was still intent on working on the cases they could. He didn’t want to have to send his agents home without jobs or a source of income. 

It was slow though and Near spent more hours lazing about and building sculptures with cards and dice and anything else he could find. 

Halle told him a week after she first called the two that Mello and Matt were about to arrive. Near looked at her suspiciously. The way she worded it made it sound like they were coming _here_...

That wouldn’t work. That wasn’t possible. 

His suspicions were correct. He mustered up the most stony, sharp steel gaze he could and looked at his two new guests. The pit of dread in his stomach made him feel sick.

“Halle,” Near said slowly. “We discussed that Mello and Matt would be moving to the secondary location. Not here.” 

Mello sneered, looking down at him with the same contemptful gaze he’d always worn in Near’s presence. Near ignored him, looking instead at the guilty agent. Though she didn’t look very guilty. The look in her eyes was unyielding, even more than his. 

“The secondary location was taken up,” Halle responded, crossing her arms. “We have plenty of room here, so I figured it wouldn’t be an issue.” 

Near looked her up and down and sighed. He didn’t really have a choice, but it would be safe as long as he stayed far away from Mello. 

“It is okay, isn’t it?” Matt asked, shifting his weight uncomfortably. 

“You’re both welcome to stay,” Near said, looking up at Matt. “I just didn’t expect you here.” Matt had always been a friendly enough presence and he hoped that having him here would ease the tension. 

“Cool,” Matt said, smiling a bit. “Is there a place I can set up my consoles?” 

“Your room has a TV you can hook it up to,” Halle said, shaking her head fondly. 

“I told you we should’ve come sooner.” Matt elbowed Mello, grinning even harder. Mello scowled and stepped out of his reach, clearly not amused. His eyes hadn’t left Near since he walked in. 

“I assume you will be showing them to their rooms,” Near said, hoping that Halle would get Mello away from him. Though his face was blank, he felt unsettled by the blond’s presence. 

“How generous of you,” Mello snapped at him. Near didn’t say anything and stared back at him, frowning. 

“Come on, you two.” 

Mello glared down at him for another second before turning to follow behind Halle and Matt. He hadn’t changed much since the last time Near had seen him. It _had_ been a long time. 

When Halle came back, Near watched her with careful eyes. He was beginning to think that perhaps she had planned this and was attempting to make them more friendly with one another. 

Of course, that would never happen.

* * *

The first week went well. Matt, for the most part, was able to keep Mello away from Near as much as possible. Mello did not attempt to confront him either and kept his own distance. 

But everyone was growing listless. Near himself was getting antsy with everything going on, the poor way that this whole pandemic was being handled. It would be forever before things were even close to back to normal. 

And at this point, there weren't many cases to take. Near was bored and restless, spending little time on cases and more with his toys. 

Of course, if he was restless, Mello was going stir crazy. Mello had always been more active, more impatient. He could be cool and calculating sometimes, but he was far more susceptible to becoming irritated. 

So, one day, while Near was on his stomach, playing with his figurines, Mello stomped in. Matt was not with him, which made Near slightly on edge. 

“Not working?” Mello asked, circling him. 

“You aren’t either,” he pointed out. “There haven’t been many cases anyway.”

Mello sneered, but didn’t say anything else. He settled into one of the computer chairs, watching Near like a hawk. Near rolled onto his back, holding up his figurine and making a sound effect. 

“Aren’t you too old to be playing with toys?” 

Near’s gaze shifted over to Mello. He was grabbing at straws, trying to push Near’s buttons on purpose. 

“Aren’t you too old to be bullying me?” 

Near watched in surprise as the corner of Mello’s mouth twitched up into what was almost a smile. It was only for a second, but he saw it all the same. 

“I guess,” Mello said, leaning back and crossing his arms. 

“Is there a reason you’re here, or are you simply wishing to relive our Wammy’s days by bothering me?”

Mello frowned, looking down at him. Near didn’t think Mello had looked at him with such little contempt before. He was used to the burning glare he’d always gotten, but this expression was almost… normal. The way he looked at Halle or Matt or, back at Wammy’s, Linda. 

“It’s been years since Wammy’s,” Mello said after a while, looking away. 

“Yet you insist on continuing the competition it fostered,” Near said, gesturing between them. “It doesn’t feel like it’s been that long when you’re around.” 

“Wammy’s isn’t why I’m continuing this competition,” Mello snarled, back to his heated self. “We’re rivals.” 

“And would we still be rivals?” Near asked. “Would we still be rivals if it weren’t for Wammy’s?” 

Mello blinked at him for a minute and sighed, running a hand through his hair. He’d grown it out a bit longer, and Near briefly thought that it looked good, and then immediately wondered why he’d thought that. 

“Probably not,” Mello admitted. 

“Then Wammy’s is exactly why,” Near said. “Can you think of one reason to hate me other than that?” 

“You’re better than me. I have to beat you.” 

“Have you considered that perhaps this doesn’t have to be a competition?” Near asked, sitting up. 

“It’s always been a competition.” 

“No,” Near argued. “You’ve kept it a competition and refused to move on.” He decided that he was done arguing with Mello. The blond had gotten what he wanted, which was to get a small rise out of Near. But Near didn’t want to play his game. 

He left Mello behind, not noticing the way Mello guiltily watching him go.

* * *

Things didn’t seem like they were going to get better. He was nearly a month into being stuck here with his team, Mello, and Matt. At some point, they’d all gotten to watching the news reports every night together, only to see the depressing reality of it all. 

Near was laying down on the floor again, watching as the news station played what appeared to be an attempt at a heartwarming story. None of them really were paying attention to it. 

“I’m so bored being stuck here,” Mello lamented from where he was draped across the couch. 

“Everyone is,” Gevanni grumbled from the armchair he was slouched in. 

“I’m not,” Matt piped up. “I like being inside and playing video games all day.”

“Shut the fuck up, Matt. You and Near are the only two people who are enjoying this,” Mello said, waving his hand at the two of them dismissively. 

“What makes you assume I’m enjoying this?” 

“Because you don’t go out and do anything anyway,” Mello said. Near looked over at him. He was surprised it was said without any venom or anger. Mello rarely spoke to him in a normal tone. _And this isn’t the first time he’s been less irritated by me. How strange…_

“I suppose you’re correct. Though I’m not sure I like the lack of work.” 

“It’s good for you,” Rester said under his breath. “You work too much sometimes.” 

Near pointedly ignored that in favor of playing with his Transformer. Rester wasn’t wrong, but Near didn’t want to hear it. 

“Christ, we’re going to be stuck here forever,” Mello muttered as the TV began its report on the current state of New York’s cases. 

After listening to the report, the SPK members left to retire for the night. Mello was absently flicking through TV channels, looking for something good to watch, while Matt played on his console. Near didn’t want to bring attention to himself and just leave, but he didn’t particularly want to stay alone with them. 

None of them said anything, quietly listening to the constantly changing channels. Mello sighed as he realized there was nothing good on and threw the remote on the coffee table. 

“This sucks,” Mello said. “I’m so fucking bored.” He poked Matt’s side with his foot, making the redhead curse as he tried to concentrate on his game. 

“Go entertain yourself somewhere else then,” Matt said. Mello grumbled but left him alone, pulling out his phone. Near sighed and stayed put. He’d have to stay with them, for the time being. 

He doesn’t remember falling asleep in there, but he thinks that he vaguely remembers his face pressed against someone’s leather-clad shoulder as they carried him to bed.

* * *

Though he did his best to avoid them, sometimes he can’t. This was one of those times, when Matt has invited him to hang out with them and he doesn’t refuse. 

He is shocked to amble into the makeshift living room the headquarters has and see it covered in sheets. Blue eyes catch his from inside the pillow fort, but they don’t narrow in anger. Near wondered when Mello stopped glaring at him on sight. 

“Come in,” Matt said happily, pulling aside one of the sheets to let him in. Near looked at him apprehensively before climbing in. Despite his protests, Matt squished in after him, forcing him to sit right next to Mello. 

But, Mello does nothing when their legs brush each other. It makes Near feel odd, but he’s unused to contact. Mello, however, just looks expectantly at the two of them. 

“I thought we could watch a movie,” Matt said eagerly, pulling his laptop from the sheets. 

“And you made a pillow fort,” Mello grumbled. “How old are you?” 

“Pillow forts are for all ages, fuckhead.” Matt scrolled through Netflix, looking for something to watch. Near had to admit, the three of them seemed… out of place like this. This sort of mundane activity wasn’t like any of them, but Near thought that perhaps that’s exactly what Matt intended by this. 

Matt settled on an odd mystery time travel movie. The three of them had predicted the plot fifteen minutes in, but watched it regardless. Mello was oddly silent, unusual for him. He’d almost always complained in Near’s presence. 

“Matt?” 

Halle came in, looking through the gaps in the sheets awkwardly. Matt stuck half his body out and looked at her. 

“What’s up?” 

“We need your help.” 

Matt groaned but moved to get out. He’d become the resident technology expert and had given them a great deal of help. Unfortunately, it happened relatively often and he’d gotten in the routine of doing it whenever they asked for him. 

“Pause the movie, I’ll be right back!” Matt said over his shoulder as he left. 

Near reached forward to pause it at the same time Mello did and their hands brushed. Near immediately tucked his back into his lap. He didn’t think Mello would be particularly happy about that. 

But, he just paused the movie and leaned back, sighing. Near tried to ignore how electric his skin felt from just that touch. He chalked it up to simply not being touched much. 

“You’re awfully flinchy,” Mello said after a moment, not looking at him. “For someone who doesn’t normally get bothered by anything at all.” Near paused, not sure what to say to that. He didn’t think that Mello would’ve noticed that, but the blond had been surprising him quite a bit lately. 

“You’ve been very different these past two weeks,” Near hummed, staring at the paused computer screen, blatantly avoiding Mello’s gaze shifting to him. Mello let out a deep breath and sat back up straight. 

“I thought about what you said,” Mello started slowly. “I’m not saying we’re cool or anything, but you were right that it’s my fault, as much as I hate to admit it. So, I’m sorry about that. I’m… trying to be better.” 

Near looked over at him slowly with widened eyes. Surely this was some sort of ruse to catch him off guard. He’d heard from Matt that Mello had softened towards him a bit after the Kira case, but… well, it had been years. 

“So we aren’t rivals anymore?” Near asked, twirling a strand of hair and trying to school his face back into a neutral expression. 

“I never said that,” Mello said gruffly, crossing his arms. “...but yeah, I guess.” 

“Does that mean you and Matt will be staying?” 

Mello paused before giving him a serious look. 

“I don’t think we’re going to be able to leave any time soon anyway, Near. This whole pandemic… well, it doesn’t look like it’s going to go well here.” 

“Well, you and Matt are welcome to stay as long as necessary.” 

He could feel Mello’s curious gaze on him, watching him. Near didn’t return it and favored looking at the computer screen and reading the description of the movie over and over. He wasn’t in the mood for a staring contest with Mello. 

“Thanks,” he thought he heard Mello mutter when Matt came barreling back to watch the rest of the movie. Near stole a few glances at Mello, but the blond was focused on the movie too. 

Near fell asleep there again, but this time he woke up at 2am, leaning against Mello’s side. Matt wasn’t in sight and neither was his laptop. There was little light coming in through the window, but Near could see Mello sleeping peacefully. Near ambled to his own bed, but only after he covered Mello up with a blanket and left him in the fort.

* * *

The next few weeks showed no improvement regarding the pandemic, nor their workload. Near found himself bored and listless. Halle and Rester forced him to eat, but he laid around, exhausted, and was beginning to forget to shower all the time. 

But Near _had_ found himself considerably less wary around Mello. Mello was trying his best not to go off on Near, though he did nearly find himself the victim of some of Mello’s angry rants. 

Near still didn’t try to engage with him much, though. As long as Matt was there too, he knew he was safe.

It worked well enough for a while, until one morning when Mello decided to be in the kitchen on his own. Usually, Matt or an SPK member was in there with them, but this morning it was only Mello. Near quietly made his bowl of cereal that Halle would force him to eat if he didn’t. Mello hummed over a pan, making what smelled like pancakes. 

Mello jumped when Near started pouring his cereal, whipping around to see who it was. 

“Fuck! How long have you been in here?” 

Near didn’t respond, shaking the last bit of cereal out of the box. Mello was still glaring at him for scaring him. Near saw his nose wrinkle out of the corner of his eye. 

“Christ, when was the last time you took a shower?”

“I don’t remember,” Near said honestly, forcing himself to take a bite of cereal. Mello sat down across from him with a plate of pancakes, looking him up and down. 

“You’re gonna shower when you’re done eating.” 

“I prefer to bathe.” 

“Then take a bath. You reek.” 

Near sighed and took another slow bite. He really didn’t want to but he was certain Mello would drag him to the tub and drown him if he didn’t. 

Mello followed him back to his bedroom after they ate to make sure he bathed. Near forced him to stay outside the bathroom while he prepared his bubble bath and got in, but allowed him to come in with his back turned so they could talk. 

And Mello was the one who was insisting on talking. _How strange…_

He’d been thinking that a lot lately. 

“I hope you know I’m doing everyone a favor by doing this.” 

Near said nothing, scrubbing his arms. He knew he wasn’t in the best state right now, but it felt like it didn’t matter. Everything was so boring and dull. Nothing stimulating like a good case. 

“Is there something going on?” Mello asked suddenly. He was seated facing the door, cross-legged on the floor, but Near could see by the way that his back straightened up that he had that calculating look in his eyes. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Like, are you-?” Mello made a waving gesture towards his head. “Are you okay?” 

“My mental health is fine, thank you,” Near blandly filled in. “I simply would like a real case to work on. I’m incredibly bored.” 

“We all are. You just… don’t really talk to anyone.” 

Near paused his actions, holding up a rubber ducky to look at Mello with him. Why should Mello want to know if he was okay? No, it wasn’t the competition, Mello had proved he was making an effort to let that go…so then…

“Mello, are you worried about me?” Near slowly asked. 

“What? Fuck no! It’s just, this whole thing has been hard on everyone and-”

Mello cut off. Near could practically see his expression from the way his shoulders tensed and he moved to get up. He had a feeling he was right. 

“Whatever, just clean yourself up,” Mello said, opening the door. 

“It’s okay if you are worried about me,” Near called out before he left. Mello paused at the doorway and looked back at him. The bathtub was filled with bubbles and Near wasn’t shy, but he felt himself flushing under Mello’s gaze. It was heated, but not in an angry way. 

Then the door shut. 

Near sunk down into the bath after he left, wondering what on earth had just happened.

* * *

Mello joined Rester and Halle’s routine of insistently demanding he take care of himself. Rester and Halle only focused on food, but Mello was the one who forced him to bathe now. He didn’t dare come into the bathroom with Near again, but he led him there and waited until he was sure that Near was bathing. 

Near’s dreary mood is lifted when a good case _finally_ came in. It entertained them all for about a week, but it was enough to brighten Near’s spirits and get everyone busy doing something important. 

Everyone else decided to get wasted in celebration of a good case and solving it when it’s all said and done. Near never liked drinking, so he simply sits in the background as Mello, Matt, and Halle do shots. Gevanni and Rester sip on something else, but Near’s not sure what. 

“Celebrate with us,” Matt slurred, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. Near shrugged it off just in time, Matt running to lean over a trash can and throw up. Rester sighed and patted Matt’s back, telling everyone he’ll just take care of it. Another arm made its way around Near’s shoulder, but it’s Mello this time. 

“Come with me,” he murmured, his breath smelling of alcohol. Near sighed but followed along as Mello, stumbling slightly, led them both up to the roof. Near didn’t see much the appeal of the lit up skyline or the sounds of traffic, but Mello seemed to enjoy it. 

“I dreamed of this sort of thing as a kid, you know,” Mello said. waving to the sight. “I lived in a pretty small town before Wammy’s. I’d never been to the city but reading about it…” 

Near’s eyes searched around, looking for something to comment on. He’d never spoken with _anyone_ about life before Wammy’s. It just… didn’t happen. 

“Did it live up to your expectations?” 

Mello hummed an affirmative and then offered him a bottle to drink from. Near refused and pushed it back towards him. He didn’t want to end up like Matt, thank you. 

“My mom wanted to take me. My dad left us and we were pretty poor, but she wanted the best for me.” 

“That’s… nice,” Near said awkwardly. He didn’t want to push a button about Mello’s past. This was the sort of conversation he was lost in and he wished that someone would come rescue him from it. 

“I remember her. She died when I was six and I was basically sent straight to Wammy’s after. But I remember her.”

“I don’t remember my parents,” Near said slowly. “I think I was told that they just gave me up once, but I don’t know if it was true. I really only remember the orphanage I was at before Wammy’s.” 

“I think you’re better off that way,” Mello comments. “It used to hurt… how much I missed her… and wondering how my life would’ve been if I’d never been at Wammy’s.” 

“Do you wish you hadn’t been at Wammy’s?” 

“All the time,” Mello responded easily. “I wouldn’t be the same at all.” Mello gestured to his scar and then to Near as if to say “none of this would be here.” Near didn’t know how to feel about that. 

“No, I suppose not. Life would’ve been easier.” 

“I could’ve been anything. None of the competition, no successors, no mafia, nothing.” Mello’s eyes were wistful in a way Near hadn’t seen since Wammy’s. “If only.”

“It might’ve been better,” Near suggested. He didn’t think Mello would become this talkative with him, but he supposed the alcohol was helping. 

“Maybe…” Mello looked over at him with a softness that made Near’s stomach twist into a million tiny knots. “But that would mean I wouldn’t have met you…” 

Mello’s eyes aren’t entirely there, blue but out of focus. Near wasn’t sure he liked the way they stared into him, reading him, scanning him. It made him flush a bit, but he didn't turn away. 

Near felt like he was having an out of body experience when Mello leaned over, closing his eyes, and pressed his lips against Near’s. His breath tasted of the shots he’d taken and his lips were warm and demanding. The knots in Near’s stomach exploded and he felt his cheeks somehow turning even more red than they were. 

Then, Near realized how drunk Mello was when he lost his balance and knocked them both over. Near immediately scrambled up, realizing what had happened. 

“Near, I-”

“You’re drunk,” Near interrupted. “We’ll talk when you’re sober, but-”

He shook his head and hurried to the door, not waiting for Mello, who called out for him. 

The door shut with a finality behind him as he made his way down the stairs. 

His heart was beating fast and he ignored the warm feeling in his chest as he laid down to go to sleep. 

The memory of Mello’s lips against his, the way Mello looked at him, were etched into his brain and he found himself dreaming of it happening time and time again. 

The next morning sees Mello in his room, standing over him and shaking him awake. He clutches his blankets to his chest and looks around for the emergency that Mello was waking him up for. 

There wasn’t one.

He laid back, keeping the covers close to his chest as he looked up at Mello. 

“This better be good,” he grumbled, trying to comb his fingers through his hair. 

“We need to talk about last night.” 

“Can this wait until after I’ve gotten dressed at least?” 

“No. I meant that kiss, even though I was shitfaced.” 

“You aren’t very romantic, Mello.”

Mello was unamused by that, but Near thought it was rather well deserved for waking him up so early. 

“I’m fucking opening up to you and that’s all you have to say?” 

“No. I reciprocate your feelings, but I will not entertain the idea of a relationship with you if you insist on waking me up at the crack of dawn to talk about feelings.” 

“It’s like eight in the morning, Near.” 

“Too early.” 

“Fine, fine.” 

“I would appreciate it if you also would kiss me while you’re sober, too.”

Mello rolled his eyes, but leaned down to kiss Near. He was certain he probably had morning breath, but it was fair revenge for last night.

* * *

“So you’re going to stay, aren’t you?” Near asked, reaching up to toy with Mello’s hair. Mello batted his hand away. Near settled for his own hair. Mello had forced him to bathe, so it was soft and untangled for now. 

“No, we’re dating, why would I stay?” Mello sarcastically asked. “Yes, I’m going to stay.” 

“I’m just making sure,” Near said. 

“Where the fuck am I gonna go?” Mello pointed to the TV, which was displaying another story about the pandemic. 

Near didn’t say anything. After a moment of tense silence, Mello poked at his side. 

“You can’t do this, Near.” 

“Can’t do what?” Near looked over at him, leaning his head against the back of the couch. 

“You can’t just not talk to me,” Mello said, crossing his arms. “If this is going to work, we have to communicate.” 

“And are you going to?” Near asked. 

“I’m going to try, at least. And you’re going to tell me to get my shit together if I don’t.” 

Near turned back to the TV. He’d seen a report that many people had separated from their significant other during this whole ordeal. Briefly, he wondered how long this would last with him and Mello being stuck together like this. 

Mello leaned forward, attempting to catch his eye. Near realized he hadn’t responded and was staring at the TV instead. As an apology, he leaned forward to kiss Mello. It was far better kissing Mello when he was sober and when Near hadn’t just woken up. 

“Uh, hey guys,” Matt said awkwardly from the door. Mello immediately separated from Near and scowled at him, much to Near’s dismay. 

“What?” 

“Well, we got a new case-”

Mello got up and brushed past Matt, trying to hide how red his face was. Near didn’t think it was all that embarrassing. They were just _kissing_ but he supposed that Mello might be less comfortable with that. 

“Are you two a thing?” Matt asked. 

“We’re trying to be,” Near said, pulling his knees to his chest. He really wasn’t sure how this was going to go. Sure, their feelings towards one another had improved greatly from what they had been before this whole ordeal, but that meant little. 

“That’s good. He told me about the whole thing with him forcing you into the bath and how he was all conflicted about his feelings and shit.” 

“He did?” 

“Wouldn’t shut up about it. Not that he could ever shut up about you in the first place,” Matt said with a slight smile. He left Near with that. 

Near sat there, thinking about what that could possibly mean, until Mello called for him so they could start working.

* * *

“Things are easing up now,” Mello commented, eyes on his phone intently. “Restrictions and all that.” The light from the screen lit them electric blue and Near found himself incredibly distracted by it. 

“We can still live here, right?” Matt asked.

“I don’t know what makes you think you can’t.” Near curled a strand of hair around his index finger. 

“Well I figured Mello was anyway. Since you and him are basically sharing a room.” 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Near said, ducking his head so no one could see his face redden. 

“I don’t think the SPK could deal with you leaving,” Mello commented. 

“Is that all I am to you guys, tech support?” Matt sighed and sat down with the same over dramatic acting.

“Yeah,” Mello said, flicking his ear. “We’ll get you a nameplate and everything.” Matt slapped his hand away harshly, resulting in an all out war of them pinching and hitting each other. 

“Mello’s bullying me, Near. Stop him.” 

“I’m not involved in this.” Near watched them bicker like children and picked up Mello’s phone to read the news report. With the new restrictions, they’d be able to leave New York soon. 

“What are you thinking?” Mello came up behind him and kissed behind his ear 

“That perhaps we should leave New York for now.” 

“I’ll go wherever you tell me,” Mello said low in his ear. Near pressed back against his chest, wondering when they’d gotten so… cliché. Near almost said that, but chose not too.

After all, he wasn’t going to complain about that. It was a much better choice than the way they’d started out.

**Author's Note:**

> I was so worried that the pacing of this wasn’t good (I could never write slow burn) so I hope I did okay with that. I meant to post this yesterday but I was a little stressed (I live in the US, you can probably guess why 😒) That is also why i kinda subtly tried to say the US did a shit job during the pandemic bc it still sucks here ✌️(sorry for complaining but jesus fuck) 
> 
> But what a fun prompt! I really had a good time writing this one, even if it did remind me of my time in shutdown (and yeah, you can thank the pandemic for getting me to start writing fics) I’m honestly kinda surprised no one else had done a quarantine fic, i’ve seen it for lots of other stuff but none here 😞
> 
> anyway, thank you for reading!!! Any kudos/comments are appreciated (and I do my best to respond to comments ❤️)


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